Boiler kettling (a little)

[counterofbeans]

I have an 18 year old Ideal Classic boiler.

It kettles a little, mostly on HW, less on CH.

Boiler is set low at 2 (out of 6) as any higher the kettling is worse.

Pump speed is set at 2 (out of 3) as any higher I can hear the CH "whooshing" round the house.

I can put up with it but are there any easy fixes short of a new boiler?

Many thanks for any advice.

[Eddieslofart]

How big, and high up is the expansion/supply tank ?

[Simpo Two]

If it's anything like my Ideal Elan it's scale in the heat exchanger - call in your local trusty CH bod. There is descaling fluid you can tip in the top, leave it for a week or two, then flush it out and refill.

[forest07]

Simpo Two said:

If it's anything like my Ideal Elan it's scale in the heat exchanger - call in your local trusty CH bod. There is descaling fluid you can tip in the top, leave it for a week or two, then flush it out and refill.

+1 Scale or sludge in the heat exchanger. Descaling fluid may work, or have it flushed by someone competent. The Classic was a good boiler, I still have one.

Edited by forest07 on Saturday 18th November 11:12

[counterofbeans]

forest07 said:

Simpo Two said:

If it's anything like my Ideal Elan it's scale in the heat exchanger - call in your local trusty CH bod. There is descaling fluid you can tip in the top, leave it for a week or two, then flush it out and refill.

+1 Scale or sludge in the heat exchanger. Descaling fluid may work, or have it flushed by someone competent. The Classic was a good boiler, I still have one.

Edited by forest07 on Saturday 18th November 11:12

Thanks both.

Is it worth having the heat exchanger replaced?

[Simpo Two]

counterofbeans said:

Is it worth having the heat exchanger replaced?

Is the part still available?

[stevesuk]

We're trying to keep our Glow Worm Economy Plus boiler (which must be 20 to 25 years old at a guess) working. Each year the bloke we have to service it says that they're far more reliable than the newer stuff, and cheaper to fix when they do go wrong. Our system is a right old mismatch of stuff too. Mainly new radiators (we replaced them all) but some old microbore pipework that would be pain to replace.

Our boiler had been kettling quite badly, to the point where I'd turned the thermstat to "min" and it was still doing it. I already looked at the cost of replacing the heat exchanger, but it seems the part is no longer available. Then I read about this stuff called Calmag system protector. They sell it at Tool Station for about £10 for a litre. Average house only needs one bottle, but the number of radiators we have meant we needed two.

The idea is that it dissolves sludge and scale in to particles that are so small, they no longer cause a problem. No need to flush it out - you just dose it and leave it in (it also contains an inhibitor).

Was very sceptical, but thought for the sake of £20, I'd try a couple of bottles of it.

Added it via the towel rail in the bathroom, and I have to say that after a week or so, it does seem to have made a difference. Boiler/system is definitely quieter than it was before - even after I turned up the boiler stat a bit, the kettling is barely noticeable.

For a few quid it might be worth a try?

I'm sure newer boilers are more efficient - but if what you have is mainly working OK, the time it would take to recoup the savings in gas from fitting a new boiler must take years?

[forest07]

counterofbeans said:

forest07 said:

Simpo Two said:

If it's anything like my Ideal Elan it's scale in the heat exchanger - call in your local trusty CH bod. There is descaling fluid you can tip in the top, leave it for a week or two, then flush it out and refill.

+1 Scale or sludge in the heat exchanger. Descaling fluid may work, or have it flushed by someone competent. The Classic was a good boiler, I still have one.

Edited by forest07 on Saturday 18th November 11:12

Thanks both.

Is it worth having the heat exchanger replaced?

I would just get it flushed rather than changed

[simon3000]

had similar on ours.system was really clogged.a bottle of toolstations finest (cheap) cleaner/sludgebuster did the trick .https://www.toolstation.com/shop/Heating+%26+Insulation/d230/Central+Heating+Additives/sd3235/Central+Heating+Cleanser/p23699 ill leave it in a while longer then drain and refill with an inhibitor.
if you need a powerflush and feel up to diy then hss did have the equipment to hire on offer at about £50/day

[counterofbeans]

Simpo Two said:

counterofbeans said:

Is it worth having the heat exchanger replaced?

Is the part still available?

It does seem to be - the boiler is an FF260 - but it appears to cost nearly £500. So probably not worth it then (I suppose that's 50% of a new boiler).

I will try the tool station stuff - many thanks for the tip.

[counterofbeans]

So I have a litre bottle of Calmag - can I just add it to my system (via the rad/towel rail in the bathroom) or do I have to remove a litre of water from the system first?

As far as I know the system is not sealed / pressurised as I'm fairly certain there's a small header tank(s) in the loft.

What happens if I just chuck it in? Or will I not be able to do that?

p.s. so sorry for asking such dopey questions, but I really want to avoid having to get a plumber out to put some cleaner in!

[stevesuk]

counterofbeans said:

So I have a litre bottle of Calmag - can I just add it to my system (via the rad/towel rail in the bathroom) or do I have to remove a litre of water from the system first?

As far as I know the system is not sealed / pressurised as I'm fairly certain there's a small header tank(s) in the loft.

What happens if I just chuck it in? Or will I not be able to do that?

p.s. so sorry for asking such dopey questions, but I really want to avoid having to get a plumber out to put some cleaner in!

We have a conventional (non-pressurised) system with a header tank in the loft.

You can either stick it in the header tank and drain off some water from a drain valve to make sure its been pulled in to the system - or you can add it via a radiator.

My favourite method used to be drain off a bucket of water from a drain valve by our boiler (because its in the garage, so no risk of dripping on carpets etc.). But last time I tried, the valve doesn't seem to work anymore Another job to attend to.

So this time, I isolated the towel rail in the bathroom, removed the 22mm nut with the bleed screw, and then syringed out a litre of water (helpful if you have a large syringe). Then I poured in the Calmag, replaced the bolt and re-opened the valves to the towel rail.

Then switched everything on (heating and water circuit) to get it mixed/flowing around the system.

[ironv8]

fernox F5 is what I use, I'm a heating engineer and tried loads in the past. Good tip re the towel warmer, I always look for one of those when dosing. Next good tip is before you allow it to mix with all the other system water, just leave one or two rads on for as long as you can, you'll get a concentrated mix going through the heat ex. leave in for a week or 2 then drain and add inhibitor